HKFE

Without any doubt, this is by far my favorite cookbook. Every recipe I've tried worked brilliantly. Although I'm quite an advanced cook, the recipes would not be too challenging for the novice. The directions are clear and easy to follow, and nothing is left to chance.

My favorite recipes include: Brussel Sprouts, hashed with poppy seeds and lemon; banana tart; braised lamb shanks with garlic and herbs; potato and artichoke frittata; roast peppered rack of venison; and the awesome mashed yellow turnips with crispy shallots.

Finally, I must mention what a helluva nice guy Michael Romano is. On one occasion I had to ask Mike for some advice about the timing of food preparation for a rather elegant dinner party I was preparing for 12 (all of the recipes came from the book). Not only did Mike return my call, but he seemed genuinely interested in not only the problem, but solving it.

Only criticism -- why isn't there a second book??!!

There is no need to justify writing a review of a recently published book. For an older book, I always try to find something new to say which other reviewers may not have touched on. In the case of this book and it's companion volume 'Second Helpings' by the same authors, about the cuisine of the same Union Square Café, that rationale is simple. Almost all of the recipes successfully fit my criteria for buying celebrity chef / restaurant cookbooks. That is, almost all of the recipes are accessible to the experienced home cook living in the northeast United States and offer resources for making their cooking more interesting.

More specifically, both volumes enrich my repertoire of Italian dishes without the need to invest in many autre ingredients. They make very good use of their 160 recipes (a magic number which seems to be the de regeur count of dishes in this type of book) without adding a large number of the usual, and usually unnecessary list of recipes for kitchen staples. They are here, but their number are kept to a reasonably small number. If I really want to make a primo veal stock, I'll check out the CIA cookbook.

My rating of five (5) stars is based entirely on comparing this book to similar, recently published books by Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, and Emril Lagasse. For books of this type, the lion's share of the value is in the effective presentation of the recipes, and in this task, the authors excel. They make the small point of placing all the ingredients prep work with the ingredients list. The more one reads recipes in other books, the larger this point becomes. This practice would be on my short list of style tips for recipe writing.

There are very few black and white photographs, and I find that I do not miss the large color rotogravure look. Pages of text provide much more value. I also don't miss the wine parings, as this is only useful to a very limited audience.

Good value for the money.

I probably would violate some copyright law if I put the short and simple recipe for Bar Nuts into this review, but I'm really tempted. They are far and away the most delicious little snacky to have around when guests arrive. Once you've provided them to your friends, they will insist you bring them to every future gathering. And make them right as folks arrive: the aroma that perfumes the whole house is intoxicating, and the nuts, hot out of the oven, disappear really, really quickly, so make plenty.
Damn, they're SO GOOD.
Okay, the rest of the cookbook is a winner, too. It was given to me as a gift from a friend who visits NYC frequently and dines at this restaurant, so, ta-da, I have a 1st edition sighed by both Meyer and Romano, owner and executive chef. The cooking is a beautiful mingling of French, Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines.
Lots of great photos to help with presentation.
Yumilicious, especially the Bar Nuts. Don't forget 'em!

I've never written a review before ... never felt the need, but I'm taking the time in this case because I found this book to be such a fun read I wanted to be sure the author got some well deserved credit. The concept of the story at first seemed familiar, like something out of the Twilight Zone, but rapidly took new unexpected and original twists, making it hard to put it down. The revelations toward the end of the book were neatly done, and amazing, the author granted the reader enough intelligence to not have to beat us on the head and yell "SURPRISE". Now that's refreshing.

What a DELIGHTFUL read. I'm not a big fan of books with a lot of conversation between characters but I was absolutely mesmerized by this book. I was amazed at the author's adept handling of the twists and turns of the plot, the philosophical discussions, is there heaven/hell, what role does compassion play in our lives -- all told in the haven (heaven) of that old diner on Route 66. This is a very refreshing book written by an author who has a gift for clean, smooth writing. So many books today are angst ridden and fulled with more words than necessary to convey the idea. Thomas-Sundstrom does not suffer from this affliction! Truly a wonderful read!

This is a novel that grabs the reader at once and won't let go until the very last page is turned. Fascinating philosophical questions are asked and, ultimately, answered. The characters that hang out at Cafe Heaven are a mysterious lot, as is their situation. Are they dead? Alive? In some strange 50s rendition of purgatory? Is this happening at all? While the strangeness might be disconcerting, we are kept firmly anchored by a lively jukebox that takes on a personality all its own, and tantalizing aromas coming from the kitchen. An unending supply of apple pie ala mode? Now, that's heaven!

After having read Bridges of Madison County & Slow Waltz at Cedar Bend, I found this book quite lacking in depth. The stories are too personal for my liking, eg. where he describes his daughter moving out of home. I did not seem to find any "content" in that one - it read more like a father writing an essay for personal solace, than a piece of literature !! The inclusion of Waller's speech to graduates seemed oddly out of place. It was interesting, but hard to grasp whilst reading in bed - perhaps a graduating speach is best read at a graduation, not sold to the public like some cheap piece of commercialism. There are some gems in this collection however - The story about Roadcat was warm and touching, similarly the one about the Burma airpilot - these had hidden "messages" which kept me reading. On average, there are some goods stories to be found however you need to search through the book to get to them. The book should appeal to those who are familiar with his work and now seek something different from the author

Several years ago I attempted to read "The Bridges of Madison County" but the mood wasn't right. Eventually, I attempted to listen to it on audiocassette (against my better judgement, as I truly prefer to read the books) and had the opportunity to hear the author read it the way he wanted it to be heard. Finally!! I understood what everyone was talking about! I then acquired all of his other books and slowly but surely tried to get through them between all of my other readings. I truly loved "Puerto Vallarta Squeeze" but put off reading his other books for almost two years. Recently, I sat down and read "Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend" and "Border Music" within a two-day period. I immediately knew that I had to read "Old Songs in A New Cafe" while the mood was still with me.

From the moment that I opened the book I felt as though I was meeting a most incredible person. His essays were truly inspiring! I was impressed by his ability to express his emotions and his thoughts with such ease. While it is commonly surprising for a man to express such thoughts and emotions, there was only one person who came to mind while I read this book: MY FATHER. I thought of him so many times while I read about his romance with his wife and his feelings about his daughter growing up and creating a life for herself. Halfway through the essays, I spoke to my father and explained that the book (that he had purchased for me for Christmas 1995) would be returned to him immediately upon my completion because, of everyone that I know, he is the only one who could TRULY appreciate the enjoyment I received from this book. When he received the book and began reading the essays, he stated to me that Robert James Waller writes the way he thinks and would like to write. He also referred specifically to the essays about Waller's wife and daughter. I have often thought it incredible that authors like Robert James Waller and Nicholas Sparks ("The Notebook") were men because they write with such sensitivity about life and love and yet, it should not be so incredible, because I have a father who proves that many men also live that way!

Thank you Robert James Waller for pointing that out!

I enjoyed reading this biography of writings by Robert James Waller. I, too, felt he was very similar to Robert Fulghum in his approach to life; a reverence for all that is simple and beautiful in this world. After reading only his fictional works, I gained a deep appreciation of the author himself and am refreshed that someone with a PhD in business can have a soul.

Mollie Katzen's self-named book 'Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café' is a very welcome addition to the very small number of books available on breakfast. As I have just reviewed a classic, 'The Breakfast Book' from the widely recognized author, Marion Cunningham, it seemed only appropriate that I tackle this new breakfast book by an equally honored writer who is best known for her books on vegetarian cooking co-authored with the Moosewood Collective.

Before I loose you in my usually long discourse, let me say that this book can do more good for your eating and health than just about any three other books put together. This opinion is based both on the quality of the book and the special position of it's subject.

Most people give less attention to breakfast than to either lunch or dinner. This means that breakfast is the one meal where the room for improvement is the greatest. It certainly has a higher potential for improvement than lunch, as most people eat lunch outside of the home. Even if they carry lunch from home, the range of foods, which can be made portable without special equipment, is smaller than what can be prepared and eaten in ones own kitchen.

This book is directed not only at a very wide range of good breakfast food, it is also directed at giving you the information you need to eat a nutritious breakfast with few or no 'empty calories.

The book starts with a brief essay on how the body deals with carbohydrates, especially upon eating the first meal of the day, or, 'breaking fast'. The long and the short of this story is that you are much better eating whole grains with protein and good fats rather than sugars and quickly digested starches. The remainder of the book is dedicated to making this option appealing.

The recipe chapters are:

Beverages: The straight skinny on coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and smoothies.
Fruit, including fruit salads, dried and roasted fruits, and crisp or cobbler.
Grains, Cereals, and Porridges, including an excellent tabular presentation of grain cooking characteristics.
Muffins, Biscuits, Breads, and Buns, including all the classics plus great stuff with bran and whole grains.
Eggs, Tofu, Scrambles, Quiches & Souffles, or Protein Central. Lots of basic methods.
Potatoes, Beans, Tempeh & Hashes. Lots of Potato recipes and unusual hashes.
(Other) Vegetables for Breakfast, especially tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach
Griddle Foods: Pancakes, Waffles, Blintzes, Crepes & French Toast

Yogurt and Cheese: Lactose central with (mostly) ricotta and other soft cheeses.
Puddings and Custards: Sweeten up your egg protein and vegetable goodness.
Condiments, Sauces, Toppings & Spreads with syrups, sauces, salsas Jams, Aioli, Ketchup, etc
Breakfast Bars, Coffee Cakes & Sweet Somethings: Home for lots of nuts, berries, and seeds
Menus, or how to really do a healthy pig out on Sunday morning

The book is laid out with lots of sidebars on tips and techniques which make it very easy to read and to find what you are looking for. Each chapter title page gives a complete table of recipes in the chapter. Almost (but not quite) as good as a complete list of recipes in the front of the book. Be sure to check the index when you are looking for a specific recipe. French toast, for example, appears in Griddle Foods and not Eggs or Breads and Potato Pancakes appears in griddle foods and not under potatoes.

The author wins me over completely when she quotes the line on omelets by Elizabeth David that says that the perfect omelet recipe is the way you make it. Another good quote describes an omelet as nothing more than eggs, butter, and body English. Of course, she goes on to give detailed instructions on how to make a good omelet and says it is not easy. Moral of the story, read and emulate her directions, but don't get too hung up on the result not looking like something done on the Food Network. Just keep practicing until you are happy with the result.

Not nearly enough has been written about the economics of home cooking versus prepared foods. Ms. Katzen's recipe for granola is probably an excellent place to start. A quick look at the health food aisles of my local megamart shows designer brand containers with less than a pound of food for prices that would make a beef fillet blush. Granola is a product that is almost completely foolproof to make from ingredients that individually are very, very cheap. And, I checked out those same health food aisles in the megamart and I found every single ingredient in bulk.

To repeat, Ms. Katzen's book is probably one of the very best places to start in improving what you eat. It is a very nice bonus that the list price of the book is significantly lower than the average cookbook and the artwork done by the author is truly delightful.

Very highly recommended. Easy for people with little cooking knowledge.

Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café, is a beautifully produced book with original art by the author, and interesting mini-articles at the beginning of each section. (Katzen also has nice introductions and incidental notes within the articles that make them fun to read.) Many recipes include variations that make the book full of possible recipes and combinations. I especially liked the two introductory chapters about breakfast: "Make Room in your Life for Breakfast," which includes a short look at breakfast around the world, and "Breakfast for Metabolic Health," which discusses how breakfast contributes to our overall diet. The book contains over 300 recipes with sections on breakfast beverages, "Vegetables for Breakfast" and a delicious-looking chapter on "Potatoes, Beans, Tempeh & Hashes." Katzen states that most of the recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare, and many take less than fifteen.

Unfortunately, there is no nutritional information with the recipes, and only 3 1/2 pages on menu planning at the back of the book. Sunlight Café is also obviously designed for lacto-ovo vegetarians as it relies heavily on dairy and eggs, and many recipes are not suitable for vegan substitutions, although Katzen says you can always substitute soy milk for cow's milk. While there are vegan recipes in the book, they're not labeled, so vegans get the not unpleasant chore of wandering through the chapters soaking in all the interesting tidbits while picking out what recipes to prepare.
--Reviewed by Amy O'Neill Houck

I never gave much thought to breakfast, but Mollie Katzen sure has! And she is her usual contagious self in this unusual new volume, as she shares hundreds of ideas and many, many simple recipes with healthy undertones and delicious overtones. And speaking of tone, hers is never dogmatic or preachy, just very informative (with interesting asides and anecdotes) and personal encouragement, helping us realize just how important it is to have something decent to eat as early in the day as possible, and sympathizing with how difficult that is for many of us. It would have been easy to write a breakfast/brunch book oriented specifically to leisurely weekend entertaining, and although this book covers that (a nice list of user-friendly menus appears in the back) it mostly focuses on the challenge of a good breakfast on busy weekdays. I've tried about 6 of the recipes, and they have all been delicious. Try the Chai Oatmeal and the Wild Rice & Quinoa Muffins with Dried Cranberries. I also loved the Breakfast Gingerbread and the Homemade Chocolate Chip Protein Bars. A winner all around, complete with lovely full-color art by the talented Ms. Katzen! A bargain at the price offered here (and even a bargain at full price)!

The second book by Todd Swift, this volume is beautifully constructed. The poems are lovely and lyrical. Mr. Swift is a dedicated poet, and the book shows it!
Kathleen Spivack.

The second book by this young poet; lovely poems and well arranged. A lyrical collection. Swift is a poet to watch.
Kathleen Spivack

No less breathtaking than the most intimate gaze of Roland Barthes, Swift's new collection of poems dares to go beyond Language by leaving us to dwell, if just for a moment, in a bantam world where we graze upon nostalgia, bend with desire, feed upon the barbiturate that can only be named longing--all the while being soothed by the lifeline of the lyric. Reading Cafe Alibi, we are privileged to visit an autarkic world where the aethetics of desire establish their own sense of time and order. A chilling and stunning read!

The sort of book that you might find inside a Le Creuset pot you've been given as a wedding present (it's even the same colour), and the sort of book that people over supplied with such pots, along with armouries of Sabatier knives, might reach for if they ever decide to hold a dinner party.

Question is, do I really need a full page recipe to tell me that fresh buttered pasta tastes great when generously scattered with white truffle shavings? (Like most of the recipes here, this comes with a full-page picture, in this case the standard `white truffle being shaved over pasta' pic that gets printed along with every magazine article about truffles). Or six sides of variations on a basic crespu?

Some of the recipes are oddly overspecific (presumably to maintain the ideologically pure `italian' flavour): On grounds of personal taste I disagree with the noodle recipe (which is fine, but, with much work, will produce noodles pretty much indistinguishable from good noodles bought from a shop, in which case why make them yourself?), but nevertheless think it is unnecessary to specify the flour be typo-00 (I think, I forget the technical designation for canonical italian noodle flour) - different flours, different noodles (I usually use ordinary strong plain flour supplemented with a quarter semolina, and eggs and yolks as available), but they all taste good given experience. Similarly, they specify `Chianti' for red wine for cooking: I challenge anyone to be able to distinguish reliably a random 10DM Chianti from any other young tannic red wines, after it's been cooked and reduced.

A few recipes look technically questionable. In their recipe for Girolles Provencal (they don't call it that, but that is what it is) with noodles, they don't tell you to disgorge the girolles first, which will result, I suspect, in either very rubbery, or *very* wet girolles.

Also this book is just a collection of disconnected recipes, but this sort of food is specifically not a collection of formal recipes, but an attitude of mind.

Being a cooking novice who loves eating and cooking Italian food and dishes, this book is a wonderful edition to anyones cook book collection. The pictures are scrumptious with most dishes easy to reproduce. I wanted this book ever since I saw Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray on a supplementry PBS program. I thought that they captured the essence of Italy's regional cooking and have obviously transfered this to the The Cafe Cookbook. Highly recommended!

The recipes are wonderful, some of the photography is excellent. Its artsiness is a little overdone. Not all of the recipes are strictly affordable to the average bear, but when you can, this book provides everything you need to really get geeky with Italian cooking.

This book was okay if you are looking for a wide range if information. But if you are looking for specifics on reading coffee grounds, this, for me, was not helpful at all. Sorry.

This book offers those novices in Magic an opportunity to practice anytime the wonders of the most powerful things in the universe... A wish book for all times... I highly recommend this book...

I am a coffee addict. I admit it. But Ms Posey has got me beat hands down.

This book covers the history of coffee. From the myths and legends surrounding coffee, to the different types of coffee, this release is similar to many other coffee books. There are even some wonderful recipes for distinctive coffee brews. Yet how many of these other books cover coffee divination? This is quite unique. There are instances in myth where coffee is used as a divination tool, but Ms. Posey introduces us to her version of scrying the beans.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. She presents us with her own original material and gives us a new twist on the magic of coffee.

If you are a coffee fanatic, or into different typs of divination, take a look at this book. It will grab you and make you rethink tea leaves. It would make a wonderful gift for that special coffee lover.

While you're at it, take a look at the website for Cafe Nation,... The site offers much more there than just a cup of coffee and a book.

This book is very deficient on the basics. For example, in the directions for Ham Croquette anybody attempting to make béchamel as directed by the book will end up with wonderful wallpaper paste. Save your money there are much better Cuban cookbooks.

If you love Cuban food, CAFE MIMA is a "must have"! Ms. Perez features recipes that are not only easy to follow, but are accompanied by beautiful, colorful photographs. In addition, the book is organized so that you have several recipes grouped together on each day of the week, illustrating to the reader how to pair specific dishes. CAFE MIMA is a great way to sample exotic dishes from Cuba right in your own kitchen.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would! The book is beautifully photographed and the recipes are easy to follow. My father is Cuban and I grew up with Cuban food at the dinner table almost every day but never learned how to make some of the dishes that bring back such great memories of my mothers and grandmothers kitchen. This inspiring book has helped me do just that! I want to give kudos to Ms. Perez for such a wonderful cookbook and for helping bring a big part of my heritage into MY kitchen!

Sometimes the ingredient lists are a bit daunting,especially if one lives outside of a major metropolitan area, but it's worth the effort. The impressive thing about the recipes included in Union Square Cafe's second cookbook is that the various flavors are distinct while working together. For example, a pasta dish with gorgonzola and fresh corn requires that you simmer the husks in a broth--what an odd notion and what a great result !
I would say that the procedures are straightforward, but time-consuming. These are recipes that you have to plan for; they are not last-minute, just home-from-work desperation dinners. With that in mind, these are tasty, perhaps even mind -(not to say waist-) expanding recipes.

Most of what I found true of the first Union Square Café is also true of this sequel. And, the appearance of a sequel justifies the good opinion of the first volume. The new volume continues it's contribution to my Italian repetoire and continues to do it with recipes which are exceptionally well written. The introduction to the new volume makes it clear that many, if not most of the dishes are ... from Italian restaurants and nonas. I like this, if only because I find this much more believable than if the authors took credit for the recipes themselves. I also appreciate the traditional Italian names of the dishes as it makes it easier to compare these recipes with those done by classic Italian food writers such as Marcella Hazan and Lidia Bastianich.

The new volume uses it's photographs to add a rare element of humor to the cookbook. It is great good fun to do some celebrity spotting in the pics and be reassured that if Jacque Pepin takes the trouble to eat there, something good much be going on in the back of the house.

The new volume includes a long Pasta and Risotto chapter. A welcome addition.

On the down side, I find some of the recipes fairly long. Several are probably too much for the casual cook, although I believe some of the length is due to their being very thorough in their explanations.

Since this is a sequel to a well received book, I find the Pantry section to be a waste of space. Many named preparations from the first book are repeated in the second. Since these preparations are also available in hundreds of other books, I think this is blatant padding.

Bottom line is that the book is a worthy continuation to the original.

I just made the Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy. Hands down the best turkey I have ever prepared. All of my dinner guests for Thanksgiving this year commented that it was the best turkey they have ever had. Wow! The turkey was absolutely delicious, succulent, and wonderfully flavored by the complex assortment of ingredients that came about in the brining process and the stuffing and gravy. I used quince for the first time as an ingredient in my cooking.

The book is invitingly presented with it's story line approach through the photographs, sometimes silly. But yes, as another reviewer mentioned there is Jacque Pepin in the black and white photo essay in one chapter looking like he's truly enjoying himself. A great endorsement for this book as I love his cooking and personality as much as I do Julia Child.

I can't wait to try other recipes from this book and soon. I think that this book will become a regular for me to try out new recipes and enhance my own knowledge of my Northern Italian Nona's cooking every day.

"Stork Club" is a pleasant surprise. It is the remarkably well- researched story of a one-time bootlegger from Oklahoma, by way of Washington and Detroit, named Sherman Billingsley. The author had the obvious cooperation of Billingley's daughter. Mr. B ran Manhattan's Stork Club from the mid- 30s to the mid -60s. Located on East 53rd Street, it was arguably the world's most famous nightclub, when there were such things. "SC" deals relatively briefly with the glamorous café society clientele such as Ethel Merman, Humphrey Bogart or the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. It concentrates on the harder edges of Mr. Bs life; the bootlegging days in the Midwest, his (successful?) fight to free himself from the mobsters like Dutch Schultz and Owney Madden, needless run ins with Civil Rights activists and the ultimately ruinous struggles with local unions. Mr. B was always fighting something including internal theft, a fickle public and disloyal employees who left him to start their own nightclubs. He appears to have been his own worst enemy. "SC" ends on an unsurprisingly depressive note. This reviewer would definitely recommend "SC" to any native New Yorker of a "certain age" or those curious about an earlier, VASTLY more gracious, more livable and more desirable New York than the current yuppie playground it has become. A personal note: Mr. B had the well-deserved reputation of being kind to young people and servicemen. .... "SC" is your chance to at least read about it and imagine.

"Stork Club" is a pleasant surprise. It is the remarkably well- researched story of a one-time bootlegger from Oklahoma, by way of Washington and Detroit, named Sherman Billingsley. The author had the obvious cooperation of Billingley's daughter. Mr. B ran Manhattan's Stork Club from the mid- 30s to the mid -60s. Located on East 53rd Street, it was arguably the world's most famous nightclub, when there were such things. "SC" deals relatively briefly with the glamorous café society clientele such as Ethel Merman, Humphrey Bogart or the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. It concentrates on the harder edges of Mr. Bs life; the bootlegging days in the Midwest, his (successful?) fight to free himself from the mobsters like Dutch Schultz and Owney Madden, needless run ins with Civil Rights activists and the ultimately ruinous struggles with local unions. Mr. B was always fighting something including internal theft, a fickle public and disloyal employees who left him to start their own nightclubs. He appears to have been his own worst enemy. "SC" ends on an unsurprisingly depressive note. This reviewer would definitely recommend "SC" to any native New Yorker of a "certain age" or those curious about an earlier, VASTLY more gracious, more livable and more desirable New York than the current yuppie playground it has become. ...Mr. B had the well-deserved reputation of being kind to young people and servicemen. My two visits to the Stork, just prior to its demise bore this out. They were nice to my date and me. ... This must have been a high-class place in its day, a "day" that is gone for good. "SC" is your chance to at least read about it and imagine.

I have always been a big fan of history, historical events, places, etc. but I never really thought about the age of the nightclub.

This book brings the past to life. Telling the story of poor Sherman Billingsly who brings to life a dream, to own his own nightclub. Seeing him rise to almost superstar status and to see the dream slip away with the changing of the times.

When I bought this book I figured it would be a read it on and off type book....I read it cover to cover in one sitting. I lost almost an entire day, but it was well worth it.

Hearing the stories about the stork and it patrons....Ethel Merman, Walter Winchell, John F Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe. Picturing the gangster behind the scenes waiting for a cut of the auction. The people who ran the club and just learning about the legendary club.

This one is well worth it! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!